Boat-releasing device



(No Modem l J'.- H-. MGGURTY.

E.. G I V E D G N I S A E L E R. T A 0 ,B

Patented Mar. 10, 1896.

Zvorf aww UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. vMCG-URTY, OE JERSEY CITY, NEIV JERSEY.

BOAT-RELEASING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,103, dated March 10, 1896.

Application led November 14, 1895. Serial No. 568,922. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, J AMES I-I. MCGURTY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Boat- Releasing Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to appliances for releasing or detaching boats from their hangings, the same being chiefly designed for use in connection with life-boats, but applicable as well in connection with other boats.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap, efficient and reliable means for instantaneously disconnecting the boat from its means of suspension, in such manner that the boat may be safely, easily and conveniently launched, as from another vessel at sea or in rough water; and to accomplish all of this my improvements involve certain novel and useful peculiarities of construction and features of invention, as will be herein first fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l illustrates one manner of applying my invention in connection with a boat, which maybe suspended by any suitable means. Fig. 2 is a side view of one of the releasing devices detached from the boat, but coupled up and ready for application. Fig. 3 is a top view, the cover being removed, indicating the manner in which the two principal parts of the device are held or locked together, and in dotted lines the position to which the locking-ring may be turned to permit their disengagement. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation showing the grooved spindle withdrawn from the other portion. Fig. 5 is a cross-section through line 5 5 of Fig. 2, and Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views through lines 6 6 and 7 7, respectively, of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a cross-section through line 8 8 of Fig. 2, showing one manner in which the cover may be constructed and applied. Fig. 9 is a plan of the locking-ring detached.

In all the figures, like letters of reference, wherever they occur, indicate corresponding parts.

The device is preferably of general cylindrical form for simplicity and cheapness of construction, and comprises two sections or blocks A and B, each section being supplied with a suitable ring or eye, as Al and B,which serve as points of attachment. i

Section A is made hollow, its interior being supplied with ribs, as a a, and section B carries a spindle C having grooves, as b b, the same being fitted to freely enter section A, in which it cannot turn, as will be seen.

D is a lockingering applied upon the outer end of section A. It has a projecting lever or arm dto receive the tripping-line, and is seated so that it will turn with a fair degree of accuracy and not bind or wedge in place. One means of seating it consists in supplying it with concentric channels e e and through these passing screws or screw-bolts, as ff, which are tapped into the end of section A.

The interior of the locking-ring permits the passage through it of the spindle C, being provided with lugs g g, which are of about the same width as ribs cl. a. The spindle is cut away and around the central portion, as at c, near its outer end, the recess thus formed being calculated to enable the lugs on the locking-ring to pass between the solid portions h h of the spindle.

When the locking-ring is turned to the position indicated in full lines, Fig. 3, the lugs g g are carried around so as to engage the portions 7i 7i of the spindle and hold it securely in place. The security of the lock is favored by the weight which may be sustained.

lVhenever the locking-ring is turned to the position indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 3, the lugs g will register with the grooves in the spindle, and the two parts of the device will then separate, as will be readily understood.

The device may be employed either end up.

lVhen two of these devices are employed, as in Fig. l, (and they are usually employed in pairs,) the tripping-lines 'i are carried through pulleys la, with which the sections A are supplied, and then down in any suitable way toward the center or other convenient point of the boat, substantially as indicated. At the proper instant both tripping-lines are pulled at the same time, thus carrying the locking-rings out of engagement with the spindles, leaving the latter free to instantly drop, and thus releasing the boat.

IOO

The cover E is shown as made in sections, so that it may be conveniently applied. Its purpose is to exclude rain, rbc., from the interior to prevent rusting and clogging.

The parts are intended to be made of any suitable metal or metals and painted or protected in the usual Ways, and they are so formed that the paint, &c., Will not interfere with their proper workings. i

The improved device is simple of construction and certain of operation, and answers all the purposes or objects of the invention above indicated.

Having now fully. described my invention, what I claim as new herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a lifeboat-releasing device, the two separable sections, one provided with interior ribs and the other with a grooved and recessed spindle iittin g the rst-named section, a locking-ring having lugs for engaging with the spindle, and means substantially as described for tripping the ring, the parts being combined and arranged substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination with the reeeivingsection andthe grooved and recessed spindle entering the same, of the locling-ring provided with concentric channels, and bolts passing through said channels for securing the ring in place and insuring its proper movement, substantially as and for the purposes explained.

3. In alife-boat-releasing device composed of two separable sections, the combination with the section carrying the locking-ring, of a removable cover for protecting the ring and spindle,substantially as shown and described.

4. The herein-described life-boat-releasin g device, consisting of the tivo separable seetions having interior ribs and a grooved and recessed spindle respectively, the lockingring with projecting arm, and lugs for engagement with the spindle, the removable cover, the eyes or rings at top and bottom and the applied pulley, all combined and arranged substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

Signed at Jersey City, in the county of IIudson and State of New Jersey, this 12th day of November, A. I). 1895.

JAMES II. HJGUR'IX IVitnesses HERMAN L. WOLFF, THEO. voN IVULLMENICT. 

